Croatia, Montenegro, and Italy grab last three Olympic tickets

Croatia, Montenegro, and Italy completed the list of the participating teams in the men’s water polo tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games. These five teams beat their respective rivals in today’s crossover round at the World Championships in Doha and qualified for the quarterfinals, thus securing themselves the Olympic ticket.

Croatia demolished China (22:4), while Montenegro and Italy had to dig deep to get into the quarters and secure the Olympic tickets. Montenegro defeated Romania 12:9. Italy edged out Team USA 13:12.

France beat Australia 11:8 in a crossover match between the teams that had qualified for the Olympic Games before the Doha tournament.

The four winners of today’s games in the crossover round joined Spain, Greece, Serbia and Hungary in the quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals (February 13): Spain – Montenegro (16:00), Greece – Italy (17:30), Serbia – Croatia (19:00), Hungary – France (20:30)

All times are local (CET + 2)

Semifinals (February 15): ESP/MNE – GRE/ITA, SRB/CRO – HUN/FRA.

I The participants in the men’s water polo tournament at the Paris Games: France (host), Hungary, Greece (qualified from the 2023 World Championships), USA (Americas), Australia (Oceania), Japan (Asia), South Africa (Africa), Spain (Europe), Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Italy (qualified from the 2024 World Championships)

2023 World Men’s Championships (Doha, February 5 – 17), Day 4

Crossover round

Croatia – China 22:4 (5:2, 5:1, 6:1, 6:0)

Croatia: Kharkov 4, Fatovic 3, Buric 2, Loncar 2, Lazic 2, Zuvela 2, Marinic Kragic 2, Biljaka 1, Vrlic 1, Butic 1.
China:Zhu 1, Peng 1, Z.Chen 1, Y.Chen 1.

One of the rare things that the national teams of China and Croatia have in common is that both coaches are from the same water polo school. China is guided by Croat Ivan Asic, who was Ivica Tucak’s assistant in the coaching staff of Croatia between 2012 and 2016.

Asic knows Croatia’s capabilities well, but it wasn’t very helpful. The difference in quality is big, and Croatia secured a 22:4 win with ease. Croatia kicked off the match with a 3:0 lead. China converted its first man-up in the 5th minute for 1:3 and trailed by 2:4 in the last minute of the third period. Still, Croatia had a 3-goal advantage at the first break as Krzic gave Croatia a 5:2 lead after a quick action.

At halftime, it stood 10:3. Loren Fatovic scored with a man-up in Croata’s first possession in the second half. Zhongxian Chen responded immediately, also, from a 6 on 5, (4:11). But, it was China’s last goal in the match, while Croatia scored 11 in the remaining 15 minutes.

Australia – France 8:11 (3:2, 3:4, 1:2, 1:3)

Australia: Maksimovic 2, Power 1, Pavillard 1, Byrnes 1, Putt 1, Poot 1, Edwards 1.
France: Bouet 4, Crousillat 2, Vernoux 2, Bodegas 2, Marion Vernoux 1.

Last year, France reached the quarterfinals in Fukuoka after beating Australia in the crossover round. The “Aussie Sharks” didn’t take revenge for that defeat. Moreover, France beat them with an identical score – 11:8.
The first quarter belonged to Australia. Thomas Vernoux leveled in France’s first attack in the second period. Shortly after, Alexandre Bouet made it 3:4. Power equalized and the teams traded the goals until the first half, so they were tied at 6:6 at the middle break.

In the 18th minute, Australia’s goalkeeper Nic Porter saved a penalty shot from Thomas Vernoux. However, France’s defense did a great job in the second half and made the difference. Bodegas and Marion Vernoux scored with man-ups and France earned a two-goal lead in the 15th minute (8:6). Pavillard converted a 6 on 5 with 29 seconds left in the third period and the “Sharks” were still in the game.

France scored three unanswered goals between the 26th and the 28th minute, which decided the match. Bouet converted a man-up for 9:7. Then, France’s goalkeeper Fontani saved an extra-player shot from Maksimovic, and his team started a counterattack, which Thomas Vernoux finished successfully. After a few steals and turnover fouls on both sides, France was awarded the third penalty in the match (Australia didn’t have a single). Ugo Crousillat sent the ball into the net (11:7) to put France very close to the quarterfinals. Byrnes scored for 8:11 with a man-up with 64 seconds left, but it was too late for a comeback.

Montenegro – Romania 12:9 (3:5, 4:1, 2:2, 3:1)

Montenegro:Perkovic 3, Averka 3, Ukropina 2, Macic 1, Popadic 1, Matkovic 1, V.Radovic 1.
Romania:Fulea 3, Georgescu 2, Tepelus 1, Oanta 1, Colodrovschi 1, Neamtu 1

Several weeks ago, Montenegro defeated Romania 18:11 in the classification match at the European Championships.
There was a big stake in today’s encounter – the Olympic ticket.

Montenegro, the favorite, started very nervous. The Montenegrins made a lot of mistakes in the attack in the opening minutes. The Romanians punished that. Their centre-forwards played excellently in the first period. Thanks primarily to them, Romania earned a 4-goal lead at the finish of the quarter (4:1 and 5:2), but Kanstantin Averka closed the first period with an action goal (3:5).

Montenegro consolidated its defense. There were more and more blocks. The Montenegrins managed to control Romania’s attackers and leveled at 5:5 in the 11th minute. Georgescu responded from the distance for 6:5. But, Montenegro scored two goals within 48 seconds (Perkovic with a man-up and Averka) to go ahead for the first time – 7:6 in the 12th minute. After five goals in the first four minutes of the second quarter, nobody found the net in the following four, so Montenegro had a slim advantage at halftime.

Fulea opened the third period with an excellent goal to level the score at 7:7. Still, shortly after, Montenegro went to +2 (9:7). At the finish of the quarter, Fulea halved Romania’s deficit.

The fourth period started with a penalty shot for Montenegro. Ukropina converted it to 10:8. Neamtu scored for 9:10. Romania battled until the very end, but they couldn’t add one more goal. However, everything was open for long. Montenegro secured a victory and the Olympic ticket only 64 seconds before the end when Dusan Matkovic scored from a 6 on 5 to set the final score.,

USA – Italy 12:13 (3:3, 1:3, 4:4, 4:3)

USA: Daube 4, Bowen 3, R.Dodd 2, Hooper 2, Obert 1.
Italy: Di Fulvio 3, Fondelli 3, Bruni 2, Di Somma 2, Echenique 1, Presciutti 1, Condemi 1.

Team USA qualified for the Paris Games last year, so it battled “only” for a spot in the quarterfinals, unlike Italy.
The Americans were without a big star, Ben Hallock, who was suspended because of a red card in the match against Serbia, but they made trouble for Italy.

The Americans led 2:0 after three minutes of play (Daube and Obret, both with a man-up) and had a 3:1 advantage (Daube from a penalty). Italy managed to catch up with the rival before the end of the first quarter (3:3).
Adrian Weinberg was Team USA’s starting goalkeeper for the first time in Doha, and it turned out as a good move; he posted a few excellent saves in the opening minutes and encouraged his teammates in the attack.

But the Americans started missing their good chances after the first break. Early in the second quarter, they wasted a double man-up and then a 6 on 5 possession. Weinberg saved an extra player shot from Velotto, but the Americans lost the patience and composure in the attack. Bruni put the Europeans in front for the first time, scoring for 4:3 from a counterattack. The youngest in the pool, Ryderr Dodd, leveled from a man-up. Still, Andrea Fondelli responded with two goals (from a penalty and an action goal), so Italy had a 6:4 lead at halftime.

Both teams entered the second quarter with 12 players because Italy’s Renzuto and USA’s Woodhead were excluded with substitutions.

Nicholas Presciutti scored from a 6 on 5 for 7:4. Italy seemed to be on the right track after three consecutive goals. However, the Americans were able to come back. They cut the deficit to one thrice (6:7, 8:7, 8:9). Francesco Di Fulvio beat the buzzer. He found the net from a distance four seconds before the last break – 10:8.

The contest wasn’t over yet. The Americans opened the fourth period with two power-play goals (Hooper and Daube) and equalized – 10:10. They had a chance to regain a lead in their following possession. Still, they lost the ball, and Edoardo Di Somma scored from a counterattack -11:10. Francesco Di Fulvio doubled Italy’s advantage with another long-distance shot (12:10). After that, the teams quickly exchanged the goals. Three and a half minutes before the final buzzer, Italy led 13:11. They kept that advantage almost until the end. Alex Bowen set the final score with 14 seconds remaining, and the Americans suffered their third narrow loss in Doha (to Montenegro after a penalty shootout, to Serbi – 12:14, and to Italy – 12:13).

Italy won despite a terrible percentage of power play shots (3/11). Team USA scored eight goals with a man up from 14 shots. However, powerplay conversion didn’t make the difference this time.

The USA will have another demanding opponent in two days. The Americans’ rival in the 9th – 12th place classification will be Australia. Romania and China will face off in the second match in this stage.

13th- 16th place classification, semifinals

South Africa – Brazil 5:18 (4:5, 0:4, 0:3, 1:6)

South Africa: Howard 2, Bungane 1, Swanepoel 1, Neill 1.
Brazil: Freitas 4, R.Real 4, Guimaraes 3, Silva 2, Nardaci 2, Coutinho 2, Vinicius Peres 1.

Japan – Kazakhstan 17:4 (3:2, 5:0, 5:2, 4:0)

Japan: Inaba 3, Adachi 2, Watanabe 2, Nitta 2, Okawa 2, Araki 2, Katayama 1, Ogihara 1, Inoue 1, Suzuki 1.
Kazakhstan: Tsoy 1, Beloussov 1, Panteleyev 1, Shonzhigitov 1.

There was no excitement in the morning matches. Brazil and Japan were too strong for their rivals.
South Africa took a 1:0 lead against Brazil and leveled at 3:3 and 4:4 later. However, Brazil dominated after that.
The Asian derby was very similar to the previous duel. The young team od Kazakhstan went ahead twice in the early stage of the match (1:0 and 2:1). By the end of the first half, Japan produced a 7:0 run for 8:2 and stretched the margin to 13 in the second half.

For the full schedule and the results, visit Total Waterpolo’s 2024 Doha page.

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